Building Robots, Changing Futures. Celebrating our second successful season with an 8th place finish in DECODE. Looking forward to even greater achievements in our third year!
We're celebrating the completion of our second season in FTC! In the DECODE challenge, we achieved 8th place in our league, matching our impressive performance from the previous Into The Deep season. This consistent performance demonstrates our growth and dedication as a team.
Each member of our team brings unique skills and passion to our robotics program. We believe that even the smallest ideas can lead to the biggest breakthroughs, and we've proven this through our innovative approach to design, programming, and competition strategy across two successful seasons.
FTC Robotics is a program that offers a unique learning experience for students who are interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). FTC stands for FIRST Tech Challenge, and the program is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in designing, building and programming robots to compete in various challenges.
FTC Robotics is more than just a robotics program. It is an opportunity for students to develop important skills that will benefit them in all areas of their lives. Through the program, students learn problem-solving skills, teamwork abilities, leadership opportunities, and much more.
The FIRST Tech Challenge combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Teams design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format. Participants call it "the hardest fun you'll ever have!"
FIRST Tech Challenge teams are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to play a floor game in an alliance format. Teams also must raise funds, design and market their team brand, and do community outreach to earn specific judged awards. Each season concludes with regional championship events and an exciting World Championship.
The program is built on FIRST Core Values including discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun. These values guide everything we do as a team and help us grow not just as robotics competitors, but as well-rounded individuals prepared for future challenges.
Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions.
Cooperation is displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. Cooperation is founded on the concept and a philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete. Cooperation involves learning from teammates and mentors, teaching others, competing hard while treating others with respect and kindness.
Our team is comprised of individuals who share a deep passion for engineering and coding, which is why we have decided to participate in FTC. Each member of our team has been assigned a specific role to fulfill, and we are all eager to work together to achieve our goals. Despite the challenges that we may face, we are excited to embark on this journey and to learn from one another.
We understand that this competition will require hard work and dedication, but we are confident that we have what it takes to succeed. As we work towards our common goal, we are committed to maintaining open lines of communication and collaboration. We believe that by leveraging each other's strengths and expertise, we can create something truly remarkable.
FTC is not just a competition for us, it is an opportunity to pursue our passions, to challenge ourselves, and to make a meaningful impact in the world of engineering and coding. We are grateful for this experience, and we look forward to the journey ahead.
I joined robotics because I enjoy coding games and small websites, and it seemed like a fun and exciting new adventure. One of the things I like most about being on the team is that I can always count on everyone for help and support, it feels like a real community. I've contributed to different parts of the FTC experience by helping develop and test code for the robot during both the autonomous and driver-controlled periods, and I enjoy solving problems and making improvements through trial and error.
I joined FTC because of my passion for building and problem-solving, which started when I was a kid playing with LEGOs. I've always enjoyed designing, experimenting, and finding creative solutions to challenges. FTC gives me the chance to apply those skills in a real-world setting while working with a team that's just as motivated and curious. One of the things I like most about being in this team is how it pushes me to grow while still being fun and collaborative. I've contributed by helping design, test, and improve our robot's systems to make sure it performs at its best during competitions.
I am very passionate about robotics and I aspire to be an engineer. I like how the team is structured in a way that allows everyone to contribute. Our team is very friendly which makes every day a blast. FTC fuels my aspiration towards engineering, allowing me to explore my interests and honing my problem solving skills. I have contributed to both the coding and building sides of our robot. I also contribute during team discussions by sharing ideas, helping with troubleshooting, and helping my teammates during competitions and meetings.
I joined FTC because I have always been enthusiastic about machines and computers. My journey started with simple LEGOs in childhood, but programming quickly became my true passion as I discovered the power of turning logic into action. Since the 2nd grade, I have always wanted to be in a robotics team and become an engineer. When I first joined, I was fixed on only building then I realized that coding is also a way that I can get closer to my passion, and my team has helped me learn how to code. I've contributed to our team primarily through developing and testing the robot.
I joined FTC because of my deep interest in both robotics and coding. From a young age, I've always been fascinated by how machines work and how programming can bring them to life. When I discovered the FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge), I was excited by the opportunity to apply my skills in a real-world, team-based environment. Working with my teammates has been one of the most rewarding aspects, as we collaborate to design, develop, and test the code for our robot. I love the problem-solving process, where we constantly test, tweak, and optimize our code to ensure the robot performs as efficiently as possible during the competition. It’s also a great feeling to see our hard work come to fruition when we successfully complete tasks that seemed impossible at first. Beyond just coding, being part of FTC has taught me valuable lessons in teamwork, communication, and perseverance, all while nurturing my passion for robotics.
At Nano Knights, our mission is to spark innovation and curiosity through robotics. We aim to build creative, high-performing robots while growing as a team of problem-solvers, engineers, and leaders. Guided by the principles of Gracious Professionalism and Cooperation, we strive to support one another, compete with integrity, and make a positive impact in our community.
As Nano Knights, we believe that even the smallest ideas can lead to the biggest breakthroughs. Our name reflects this philosophy - that size doesn't determine impact, and that precision, dedication, and teamwork can overcome any challenge.
Innovation: We constantly seek new and creative solutions to engineering challenges. We encourage experimentation and learning from both successes and failures.
Teamwork: Every member of our team plays a crucial role in our success. We value collaboration, communication, and mutual support in everything we do.
Excellence: We are committed to producing high-quality work in all aspects of our program, from robot design to community outreach.
Integrity: We compete fairly and treat all teams with respect. We uphold the values of Gracious Professionalism in every interaction.
Community Impact: We are dedicated to sharing our passion for STEM with others and making a positive difference in our community.
As we continue our journey in FIRST Tech Challenge, we remain committed to continuous improvement. We learn from every competition, every practice session, and every challenge we face. Our goal is not just to build better robots, but to become better engineers, better teammates, and better members of the FIRST community.
Our robot for the DECODE season represents the culmination of everything we've learned over our two years in FTC. Building on the experience from Into The Deep, we've designed a robot that combines reliability, precision, and innovative problem-solving.
The design process involved extensive planning, CAD modeling, prototyping, and testing. Each subsystem was carefully considered to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with our overall strategy.
Our approach to robot design focuses on creating mechanisms that are both effective and reliable. We prioritize simplicity where possible, knowing that simpler systems are easier to maintain and troubleshoot during competitions.
Each design decision is made with careful consideration of the game requirements, our team's capabilities, and the lessons we've learned from previous competitions. We utilize CAD software to plan our builds and ensure all components work together harmoniously.
Our programming team has developed sophisticated autonomous routines that leverage computer vision and sensor feedback. We continuously refine our code through testing and iteration, ensuring consistent performance in competition.
Driver control programs are designed with input from our operators to provide precise, responsive control. We implement failsafes and error handling to maintain stability even under challenging conditions.
Throughout the season, we maintain detailed documentation of our robot's performance. This allows us to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions about modifications and refinements.
Successfully completed our second FTC season with another impressive 8th place finish in the DECODE challenge. Built on lessons learned from our first season and demonstrated consistent competitive performance. This season showcased our team's growth in technical skills, strategy, and collaboration.
Our inaugural season in FTC. Competed in the Into The Deep challenge and achieved 8th place in our league, surpassing our initial expectations as a first-year team. This season established our foundation and proved that our team could compete effectively at the FTC level.
Nano Knights FTC Team 26147 was established with five dedicated members passionate about robotics, engineering, and STEM education. We began building our team structure, learning FTC requirements, and preparing for our first competitive season.
Consistent Performance: Achieved 8th place finishes in both our Into The Deep (2024-2025) and DECODE (2025-2026) seasons, demonstrating reliable competitive capability.
Two Complete Seasons: Successfully competed in two full FTC seasons, building experience and expertise with each challenge.
Team Development: Maintained a cohesive five-member team with clear roles and responsibilities, establishing effective communication and collaboration practices.
Technical Growth: Developed proficiency in robot design, CAD modeling, programming, and competition strategy over two seasons, with continuous improvement in our engineering process.
Community Engagement: Established relationships with sponsors and built our presence in the local STEM community.
With two successful seasons behind us, we're excited to enter our third year of competition. Our consistent 8th place finishes have given us a solid foundation, and we're focused on advancing even further in the rankings. Our goals for the next season include breaking into the top 5, earning recognition for our engineering excellence, and continuing to grow as individuals and as a team. We're ready to take the lessons learned and push ourselves to new heights!
Highlights from our second competitive season. This year we continued to refine our robot design, improve our competition strategy, and grow as a team. Our 8th place finish shows our consistent performance and dedication to excellence.
Our inaugural season where we proved ourselves as competitors and learned the fundamentals of FTC robotics. These memories mark the beginning of our journey as the Nano Knights.
The Nano Knights would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Their contributions enable us to purchase materials, register for competitions, and pursue our passion for robotics. We are deeply grateful for their belief in our team and their commitment to supporting STEM education.
We are proud to be sponsored by Baqir CPA, a trusted provider of tax and accounting services.
You can trust their staff's expertise, as they participate in continuing professional education classes offered by local chapters of national tax and accounting associations to keep up with the ever-changing tax law and accounting landscape.
We are actively seeking additional sponsors to support our team's growth and success. Sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels, and we offer recognition on our robot, team materials, and website.
Your support helps us purchase robot parts, register for competitions, attend workshops, and continue our mission of promoting STEM education in our community. We would be honored to discuss how your organization can partner with the Nano Knights.
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact us at: [email protected]